Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-26


which he hsd found il q neighbours gar
den. ole is always worrying about
something, and reminds ne Of the cruel
che in the Babes n the Wood, who was
tod
'You must be father and mother both,
Ard uncle I'll IN one;
& I'd knows what viii become of them,
When we are 80 al and gone.
And ii Won keep them carefully,
Then God wilyoui reward;
Buff yOu otherwise should deal,
Goa viii your deeds regard
He is careful enough, bat not OF me, tor
If ell the stingv old
"Oh, hush, DICK" exclaimed Melanie,
il g ione Of mingled amazement ard
alarm; "think, if re should hear you
! And you, Amy, have been acting ss q
sister 10 my TWO boys?" she added, aga,n
embracing her friend, and even Dicks
bob-tniled terrier, Bngo, came in for 4
share Of her csresses, IS he h0pped and
yelDed franticGlly about her.
The expression of Amy's face often
slternated between dimplcd mischief and
mild seriousness.
"Yes, Melsnie," said the invalid from
his couch, while his eyes glistened.
"GoCd Amy-kind little scul-Ass acted
as ususl TIE part OFF sister to me and
10 Dick. | know not what we should do
without her."
And as he spoke he turned restleSsly on
ire couch where he lay nearly all day,
with his pain and repining, his past
brilliant memories and thoughts Of what
might have been.
The waters Of great bitterness often
overhowed his heart; but complaints
were rsTe with him, while his expressions
Of gratitude fer kindness, and the apol-
Cgi for trouble given, were touching,
frequent snd earnest.
Open air sports. like balls and dancing,
we're out Of the scheme Of his life now
yet he was sometimes taken in his wheel
chair 80 tennis and garden parties at
St0kenCroSs and elsewhere. And how at
times he loathed them, To see little
Amy BrendOn in her tennis costume,
| looking so pretty and piquante, so lissom
aud active in figure, with "Tom, Dick
and Harry" lowering in admiration shout
| her, while he SAL II his invalid chair "a
d-ued perembul2tor" he thought it,,
and looked obviously, hopelesslg and
helplessly on.
A silent love for Amy was his sheet
anchor il life now; of that nothing
could rob him 50 long as If wss silent
and concealed in his own troubled breast.
To speak OF 1t might scare the girl with
terror, perhaps with dislike rather than
pity for him, and SO end an intimacy that
was full of vague delight TO him.
Yet what contrast they were, in ONE
respects,
Amy, the type Of youth, end Hebe-li
in hoy health hlnnpn nd oS
limb; her eyes, clesr, bright, and spark
ling; her little figure superb and elastic,
her mere life g Joy to her.
lie, with fingers long, and lesn and
blanched now; his fair dark acquiline
features pinched, pale, and worn with the
frequent pain that rendered his splendid,
hszsl eyes unnaturally large aud keenly
bright, creating fer him, il aIl who knew
his sad story, a piteous attraction, to
woman espcciallv. His dark, silky nous
tsche, that cured we'll upwards, gave IN
additional expression 10 his uncommo1ly
fine face.
Thus Melanie'3 heart often grew sad
snd sore SIS she watched the two, for she
dearly loved her lame but helpless sailor
brother.
Aud yet amid the dreamy sense OF hsp-
piness AmY's society gave him, he built
no castles in the air-he could not.
"What earthly castles ever tower up IN
form so majestic, ia curve and spire,
dome and bsttlements SO grand and glori-
Gus, as those ethereal ores Of our own
architecture? Earth, sky and Sea furnish
no colors SO bright as those OF which our
castles shine in hopes sunlight. But in
Reginald Talbot's leans of love, no such
castles rose, for he loved in silence, with
out hope, without G future.
he could only anticipate the agony of
seeing her the bride OF another, for bride
OF his she could never, never be.
He had learned to love her when be first
came back from the Indian seas, and re-
newed the friendship that began, as he
was wont to say, "when she wo1e her
back hsir in two tails, white pinafore
and strap shoes, and sat in high chair,
and love and marriage were myths CON-
pared to new doll and more pudding :"
And now, since he had returned from the
fatal Soudan, he struggled with the new
erboTn loy-tbe wild and thrilling de-
light that had taken possession Of his
hesrt-thrilling every nerve Of his body
when his eyes met hers, when hand
touched hand even when her dress touched
lNit. III p1SSluS- VA "ACl Slc SeUsS ~ ullD,
snd listened with interest aud sweetness
to the little stories OF his brief, but i'll
reqaited, sailor career; and many q word
and msuY glance of hers he treasured
in his hesrt; aud, indeed, lived on Tor
days afterwards.
When they were together, and she
talked to him slone, he was conscious of
nothing but genuine felicity, OF soft
chsrm that enthralled and seemed to
wrap him round; but how long would
this sweet intercourse last, he had often
asked himself with vague dismsy? When
lover should come, snd with him the
end.
Both girls, Melanie and Amy, had ever
done their best to cheer him in his great
trouole, and he felt gratitude and love for
their goodness; but for which, and coca
sionally coaching the somewhat erratic
Dick in his unwelcome tasks, he more
than once thought he "might go melan-
choly mad"
So gentle Amy Brendon sang her sweet
est songs to him; walked by his wheel
chair (while Dick pulled or pushed it) by
sunset or starlight, through woodland
paths, through lanes and strawberries,
holding his soul, as it were, in thrall.
He yielded to the sunshine, to the
glamour of the present-but at times only
thinking of the future, and how little ali